Automatic throttle



Dec. 14, 1937. F. J. IRVING AUTOMATIC THROTTLE Filed Nov. 28, 1955Jigorngys. 4

Patented Dec. 14, 1937 llNiTE star Edwin F i Q E Application November28, 1933,

11 Claims.

I designate my invention as an automatic throttle valve as the deviceautomatically opens the throttle valve of internal combustion enginewhen the clutch connecting the engine, to

the driven element is let in or closed. My in vention is particularlyadapted for automobiles in which an internal combustion engine is usedcontrolled by a throttle and a clutch is also used to connect the engineto the transmission and driving wheels. A considerable amount of inconvenience arises in driving automobiles, for instance, from a stoppedposition with the engine running on an upgrade in the vehicle is heldstationary by the brakes using one foot on the brake pedal and the otherfoot is used to hold the clutch out while the vehicle is stationary andsuch clutch must be let in before the vehicle can start. As it is usualto manipulate the throttle by the foot used for the brakes 20 it isnecessary to remove the foot from the brake pedal before the footthrottle can be operated to open the throttle and speed up the engine onletting in of the clutch. This frequently causes the vehicle to rollrearwardly before the engine can be speeded up sufiiciently to give aforward direction of movement. The same difiiculty occurs to a lesserextent in starting a vehicle from rest on the level as from an idlingspeed with the throttle closed it is necessary to open the throttle bymanipulating the foot throttle to obtain a sufficient engine speed toaccelerate the vehicle.

Therefore, an object and feature of my invention is an automaticinterconnection between the clutch and the throttle, preferably throughthe clutch operating lever so that in the action of letting in orclosing the clutch from an open clutch position the throttle valve isactuated to increase the throttle opening and thus for a short period oftime speeding up the engine. This interval of time is sufficient topermit removal 'of one foot from the brake pedal into engagement withthe foot throttle, button, or other operating device.

A further object and feature of my invention is to make use of thevacuum developed in the intake manifold by the operation of the engine,preferably between the throttle valve and the engine to manipulate thefoot throttle; and to so utilize this suction or vacuum that in theaction of closing the clutch the suction or vacuum may operate orcontrol a valve and this valve make a suction or vacuum connection to apower device and then this power device actuates the throttle for ashort interval of time.

Serial No. 700,095

(Cl. l92-.i1)

A further and more detailed object of my irrvention is utilizing a powercylinder having a vacuum connection at one end and an atmospheric airconnection at the other end. This cylinder has a piston operatingtherein influenced by the vacuum so that on increase of the vacuum inone end of the cylinder the atmospheric air pressure causes the movementof the piston. The piston rod has a connection to the throttle valve andhence opens the throttle valve on the movement of the piston in onedirection when subjected to suction.

Another object and feature of my invention is a vacuum control valvewith a piping connection from the intake manifold to the power oroperating cylinder. This valve is normally closed and maintained closedby the suction and hence the power cylinder is uninfluenced. However, Iprovide an operating connection between the control valve and the clutchpedal by which :20 in the action of letting the clutch in or closing theclutch the vacuum valve is opened making a vacuum connection from theintake manifold to the power cylinder.

A further detailed object and feature of my invention as it relates tothe vacuum valve is constructing this valve with a ball or the likeforming a valve closure on a suitable valve seat and which ball may beunseated by a plunger and the plunger operated by a lever. This levermay be partly rotated in one direction to unseat the valve by a pivotarm. This arm is normally under a spring tension and urged into anoperative position, but, in the normal running of the car with theclutch closed the arm is held 35 in an inoperative position by theclutch pedal or lever. Then in the movement of the clutch pedal from aposition of an open clutch to that of a closed clutch the arm rotates ona pivot and moves the valve lever to press the plunger inwardly andunseat the ball of the vacuum valve. In order that in the oscillatingmovement of the operating arm. the valve lever may only move in onedirection this valve lever is provided with a hinged or pivoted tip endwhich allows a free swinging of this end when the control arm is movedfrom its inoperative normal run ning position to its operative positionwhen the clutch pedal is pressed forwardly to open the clutch.

Other detailed features of my invention comprise a latch which may bemanually manipulated to retain the control arm locked in its inoperativeposition and, therefore, entirely disof the: throttle rod either throughthe foot operative button or. by handwithout moving the piston and alsoso that the piston of the power cylinder may move the throttle rod toopen the throttle independent of any manual manipulation of this rod.

My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawingin which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatioelevation, partly in section showing the mannerof installing my invention in relation to the throttle, the throttlecontrol, the clutch pedal and the instrument panel of an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line' 2- -2 of Fig. l in thedirection of the arrows il-' lustrating the vacuum valve and actuatingelements thereof.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the 7 power operating cylinderfor actuating the throttle.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 in the directionof the arrows, parts being broken away to illustrate the looking outlatch for the automatic control.

In the drawing, referring first to Fig. l, the intake manifold for aninternal combustion engine is indicated at. ll, athrottle valve|2,'generally designated as the throttle, has a throttle arm I3connected thereto, the arm and the valve being rotated by a throttle rodl4 which extends through an opening in the fiooriboard I 5 and has abutton NS for operatingthe foot throttle, a

spring l6 normally returns the throttle to its closed position and fromsaid position, when the button is pressed towards the floor board, thethrottle is opened. The clutch pedal is desigat I8 and having'a bent endIS with a head to be engaged by the foot. In the usual 'construction thepedal is pressed forwardly bringing the head 20 towards the floor boardto open or running of: the engine tends to hold the ball 29 throw theclutch out and on the return movement to the position illustrated infull linesin Fig. 1 the clutch is closed or let in.

In my invention I employ a suction or vacuum valve assembly designatedby the numeral 2|. This has a rectangular body structure 22 with athreaded bolt like end 23 which may be attached to a bracket 24, thisbracket being secured to the floor board |5. bracket by means ofthe-nuts 25. The valve housing has a bore 26 extending upwardly which isclosed by a plug 27, this plug having a valve .seat 28 on which isseated a closure ball29. A pipe 3|! is attached tothe plug and extendsto the intake manifold between the. throttle valve and 'the engine asillustrated in Fig. 1. .This gives a suctionjon the valve and in thenormal seated. Thespacefor movement of the ball is limited by the end 3|of the bore 25. A duct 32 from this connector there is a suctionpipe 34.

The device for controlling and actuating the' ball'valve to release thesamecomprises a slidnated by the assembly numeral l1 and is pivoted iThe bolt 23 is adjusted on the 7 leads from the bore 26 to a connector 33' and plunger has ahead 38 and it is normally pressed outwardly by acoil spring 39 coiled around the plunger. 'Ihehead of the plunger isengaged by a lever 40 pivoted at 4| and engaged by the stop pin 42 tolimit the outward movement of the 7 The tip end 43 of the valve lever isThe main portion of the plunger, the control lever and the operatingmechanism, therefor, are preferably mounted in a'transverse opening 41.

The pivot 4| extends through this open space.

The operating arm '48 to actuate the valve lever is mounted on a pintle49 which extends across the opening 41 between. the top and the bottomand the coil spring 50 tend to rotate the lever arrow 5|. The arm has anouter end portion 52 which is engaged by the rearward edge 53 of theclutch pedal lever Ii.

The inner end 54 of the in the clockwise direction, that is, they givean 7 urge to rotate this arm in the direction of the arm is positionedto engage and contact with the tip end 43 of the valve lever 40.

The operation of the vacuum valve so far described is 'as follows:

When the clutch is. in the driving lposition, Fig. 1, the valve arm 48is held in its retracted or inoperative position by the interengagementof the clutch lever and the arm 48. When the.

clutch pedal is depressed and moved to the dotted line position of Fig.2 in the operation of releasing or opening the clutch the spring 50urges the arm 48 in the direction of the arrow 5|. In

this movement the end 54 of the arm 48 engaged 7 the tipend 43 of thelever 46 and rotates this on its hinge 44. This action does not orcannot move the lever 49 because this lever engages the stop pin 42.When the arm 48 moves to the dotted line position of Fig. 2 the tip endreturns to the full line position.

- The clutch pedal must be held down by the foot, usually the left foot.When the clutch is let in or closed by pulling the foot back andpermitting the clutch pedalto move from the dotted to the full lineposition of Fig. '2 the end 7 54 of the arm 48 engages the tip end 43 01the lever 40 and rotates this lever inthe' direction of the arrow 54,that is. in a clockwise rotation. This action depresses the plunger35'and the plunger stem 36 to a sufiicient extent to unseat the ball 29of the ball valve. This then allows a suction or vacuum. connectionthrough the pipe 34, the duct 32, the valve having the bore 25, the pipe30 to the intake manifold. r

The power device for actuating the throttle valve utilizes a powercylinder designated by the numeral 55.

is illustrated as extending through; an interiorly threaded nut 58 whichnut is'secured to the head This cylinder is suitably supported. 7 It hasa closed head '56'a't one end'through which extends an adjustingstop'screw 51; The screw} 56. 'A kerf 59 on the screw head allowsadjust- 1 ing of this. The adjusting screw is to limit the movement ofthe piston 60 under the action of vacuum as the vacuurnpipe 34 entersthe cylinder through the connector 6 I. A compression spring '75 62which bears on the cylinder and thehead 56 tends to force the pistontowards the cylinder head 63 which head has openings 64 to theatmosphere. The piston rod 55 operates through a plug 66 secured to thehead 63 and this rod has a tension wire 61 thereon. The wire passesthrough a perforation 68 in an arm 69 secured to the throttle rod M. Therod 61 is illustrated as having a bent end 10.

The operation of the power cylinder is as follows:

As the clutch is being let in by a movement of the clutch pedal in thedirection of the arrow Ii (Fig. l) or from the dotted to the full lineposition of Fig. 2 the ball 29 of the vacuum valve is unseated in themanner above described. This gives a vacuum connection from the intakemanifold through the vacuum valve to the cylinder 55 and the piston ismoved from the right hand towards the left hand in this cylinder, havingreference to Fig. 4, the limit of movement being by the stop screw 57.This action of exerting tension on the wire 6'! pulls on the arm 69 andmoves the throttle rod l4 into position to open the throttle, thusincreasing the fuel to the engine and speeding up the engine as theclutch is let in. This gives suihcient time for the driver of thevehicle to release the foot brakes and to engage the foot throttle withhis right foot, presuming the clutch pedal is being operated by the leftfoot. As soon as the plunger operating lever 66 is released from theinner end of the arm 48 the spring 39 forces the plunger outwardly andthe ball of the vacuum valve again becomes seated, thus breaking thevacuum connection to the power cylinder through passage 37. The spring62 then returns the piston to its original position and when the wire 61is in its inoperative position the foot throttle and also the handthrottle may be freely manipulated.

The latching out device for locking the automatic thrott1e inoperativeis as follows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 5:

A latch plate 12 is pivoted at 13 on one side of the valve housing 22and this has a hook or finger 14 which in the operative position engagesthe arm 48 when the outer portion 52 is shifted to its inoperativeposition as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2. A Bowden wireconstruction 15 employs a flexible tube 16 secured to the instrumentpanel i1 and in this there is an operating wire 18 which connects at E9to the latch plate I2. This wire has a finger pull button 80. Therefore,on pulling on this button the latch plate is rotated to its inoperativeposition as shown dotted in Fig. 5 and releases the arm 48 for freemovement on the movement of the clutch pedal and on the reverse action,that is, thrusting inwardly on the button, the latch plate assumes itsoperative position as shown in full lines in Fig. 5. It will thus beseen that at the will of the driver he may use the automatic throttle ifhe wishes or he can lock this out of operation.

With the device above described and illustrated operated with thelatching-out device having the latch plate 12 inoperative and by acareful manipulation of the clutch pedal, the movement of the operatingarm 48 from its dotted line position of Fig. 2 towards its full lineposition permits in, the vacuum control valve may be opened andmaintained open for any desired length of time. This causes the creationof a vacuum in the power device having the power cylinder 55, which inturn causes a movement of the piston towards the adjusting stop screw 57which action operates the throttle rod i4 and hence opens the throttle,and as the vacuum control valve may be maintained open, the piston 80may move until it is stopped by the adjusting stop screw 51 and therebyopen the throttle valve to substantially any extent desired, and thusgive a control of the engine speed by the manipulation of the clutchpedal. Manifestly the adjusting screw 51 may be regulated to obtain anydesired degree of throttle opening and hence of engine speed.

Therefore, by the operation of the clutch pedal alone, together with theadjustment of the stop device which limits the movement of the piston63, the throttle opening and engine speed may be maintained under acontrol by the use of one foot. 7

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim: I

1. In a device as described the combination of an engine provided withan intake manifold having a throttle valve and developing a suction inthe manifold and a clutch controlled by a movable clutch lever, asuction operated power device, an interconnection between said powerdevice and throttle, a suction operated valve and a suction airconnection between the intake manifold and the intake manifold and thevalve, and between the valve and the power device, the said valve havinga valve closure normally seated when subjected to suction, and anoperative means interconnecting between the valve and the clutch leverto open the valve on closing of the clutch thereby giving a suctionconnection between the intake manifold and the power device.

2. In a device as claimed in claim 1, and a latching out deviceoperatively connected to the valve and manually operated to latch thesaid interconnecting means between the valve and the clutch lever torender the valve inoperative to open.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 1, the said interconnecting meansbetween the valve and the clutch lever comprising a pivotally mountedarm, the said valve having a plunger, a closure element for the valveadapted to be unseated by the plunger and an interconnecting meansbetween the said arm and said plunger to operate the plunger to open thevalve in one direction of movement of the said arm.

4. In a device as described, the combination of an engine provided withan intake manifold, a throttle valve operated by a throttle rod anddeveloping a suction in the intake manifold and a clutch actuated by apivoted clutch lever, a power device having a cylinder with a pistontherein, and a piston rod operatively connected to the throttle rod, avalve, a suction connection between the valve and the intake manifoldand the valve and the cylinder, said valve having a closure meansoperated by suction, an unseating means in the valve to unseat the saidclosure means and an operative connection between the clutch lever andthe said unseating means to open the valve on movement of the clutchlever to close the clutch and thereby form a suction connection betweenthe intake manifold and the cylinder. 7 V

' 5.. In a device as described in claim 4, the said operative connectionincluding apivotally mounted arm, a movable latch and amanuallyoperative means to actuate said latch to render the said arm inoperativewhereby the said clutch lever may be actuated and the said arm remainstationary.

6. In a'device as described, the combination of an engine provided withan intake'manifold, a throttle valve operated by a throttle rod anddeveloping a suction in the intake manifold,,a

clutch actuated by a pivoted clutchlever, a power device having acylinder with a piston therein, a piston rod, a connection between thepiston rod and the throttlerod to move the throttlerod in one directiononly on movement of the piston,

a valve housing for a valve seat with a valve closure therein, a suctionconnection'between the intake manifold and the valve seat to hold theclosure member seated, a second suction connection between the valveandone end of the cylin- 'der, a plunger in the valve to unseat the valveclosure,a pivotally' mounted lever arm engaging the plunger, apivotally'mounted operatingarm, a 7

spring means urging said arm in one direction of rotation and the freeend of the, arm engaging the clutch lever whereby on closing the clutchthe opposite end of the arm engages the said lever anddepresses theplunger to unseat the valve closure and provide a suctionconnection fromthe intake manifold to the cylinder; "I. In a device as described inclaim 6, the said lever having a pivoted tip end, the said arm engagingsaidv end and swinging said end on its position;

pivot without moving the lever in a plunger depressing action.

8. In a device as described in claim 6, a cutting out latch platepivotally connected to the valve,

housing and having a finger to engage the said arm, means to rotate saidplate whereby the said finger retains the arm in an inoperative positionwhen the clutch lever is in the closed clutch 9. Adevice as described,the combination of an engine provided with-a throttle valve and a clutchactuatedby a movable clutch lever, an air power device, an operativeconnection between said device and thethrottle'valve to open said valvein one direction of movement of the said device, an air controlled valvewith an op erative air connectionto said power device and to meansforming a source of air power, an interconnecting actuating devicebetween the valve and the clutch lever to actuate said valve on movementof the lever froman open to 'a'closed clutch position to'therebyenergize the said air power device.

10. In a device as'described,'the combination of an engine having asuction means, a throttle clutch actuating means, to render the saidvalve and power device inoperative.

I 11. Ina device'as'described, the combination of throttle valve anddeveloping a suction in the manifold, a clutch with a movable clutchactuat an engine having an intake manifold with a ingmeans, a suctionoperated power device interg vconnectedwith the throttle, a vacuumvalve, a,

vacuum connection between the intake manifold, the valve and the valveto the power device, means operated by themovable clutch actuating meansin closing the clutch to open the said vacuum' valve and form a vacuumconnection to the said power devicega latching out device operatively.connected to the valve'and movable to renderthe valve inoperative toopen the means operated by the suction being constructed and operated"to maintain the valve closed. 7 7

' FRANK J. IRVING,

